Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1887-04-13
FIRE AND DEATH.
Great Destruction to Life and
Property by Dakota Prai.
rie Fires.
Three Persons Fatally Burned in Bea.
die County and Another Near
Mitchell.
tsIoux CITY JOURNAL spEcIALs) J

Reports from Huron, d. t., say: As
intimated in the dispatches last night, prai.
RE fires did great damage south and north
from here. In Grant township, seven
miles south, and along Cane creek the
damage was greatest. Edward Naloney
and sister Kate lived on Fred Towns farm.
When the fre came up Ed was in the field
less than mile from home. The Are was
three miles distant, the wind blowing from
the southwest thirty miles an hour. Be-
fore he could reach home the fire was upon
him. He told his sister Kate and Annie
Marine, who was stopping with Kate, to
run 10 the plowederound only sfew rods
away. Tho ladies Immediately started for
the field, but the wind carried them before
IN another direction, and they were over
| taken by the fire within ten rods Of the
piowed ground. Mr.. Maloney went to
the barn 10 turn out the horses. In
an instant the house and barn were in
flames. Neighbors, seeing the buildings on
fire, started for the scene. Kate Maioney
was found few rods from home, her
clothing nearly all burned OF and hair all
gone and eyes burned nearly out. She was
taken to neighbor's. Annie Marine was
found little further on, the clothing
burned entirely from her body. She was
unable to speak, and was put in q wagon
and sent to her fathers, couple Of miles
dis ant. She died this morning and was
buried from the Catholic Church this after
noon. Edward Maloney's body wns found
about forty feet from the barn. He must
have died from suffocation. The remains
we've sent TO Preston. Mimi, where his
parents reside. Kate is in a very CT tical
condition and cannot recover. The house.
with contents; also stable, horses, machin.
eiy. ETC.. We're all destroyed. Loss, prob.
ably So 500
In the same neighborhoot Elmer Viii.
sons barn and cont, nts we're burned, and
VIM. Ycnells house, barn, cattle sheds
and machinery all destroyed. 1t is impos-
sible to ascertain the loss, but it will reach
several thousand dollars with very little in
surance.
Besides the damage to the fair grounds
OF 81 900, the home of Mr.. Bronson, occu-
pied by William Amundson, two miles
north of the city, was burned. The family
saved only the clothing they had on. A.
II. Risdon lost his house, worth $40O; also
.. +. Parker's house. Loss, $500. Three
borhood burned. The loss is probably
$1,000.
In the vicinity OF Mitchell details of the
prairie fires show great damage in several
directions. Northwest of Letcher eight
farmers We're burned out, suffering losses
ranging from $500 10 $4,000, losing build.
stances, stock, and SON Of ]. =. Dister
was fatally burned while trying to save
steck. A farmer named eco. 4. Hammer,
sixteen miles south OF Mitchell awoke TO
find his house in flames about o'clock in
the morning. He and family barely es-
capped with their lives, losing everything
else. The fro is thought to be inc .ndiary,
as there was no prairie fire near.
From Wakonda We learn that at about IL
o'clock a. m. large prairie fire was dis.
covered coming towards the town from the
south. very high wind was blowing,
which carried the fire at tremendous rate.
At the alarms everybody turned out to save
the town and help the neighboring farmers.
1t passed east of town about one mile and
was kept out only by timely and hard work.
Full particulars are impossible to get at
this time, but it is reported that the fire
started about seven or eight miles below
there, Mt Tenants place, whose house
caught fire and burned, setting the prairie
on fire with burning fragments. Those who
suffered losses, SO far as known, are:
John Cronan, large barns, sheds, grain,
machinery, some stock, etc.; amount OF
loss not known, some insurance. The fire
jumped piece OF plowing 800 yards wide.
John Slattery, one mile from town, lost all
of his hay and barely wed his buildings,
as did also Aaron Bobb. A. 8. Haver lost
his barn and granary, 25 bushels Of wheat,
~ bushels Of TAX, several hogs and calves,
and some machinery. Loss, over $500;
$l00 insurance. Tne old settlers all agree
that 1t was the worst FIRE they ever had to
contend with.
Madison. Dak., spscial to the Pioneer
Press says immense prairie fires burned
over the south half of Lake County last
night. Some twenty five farmers lost their
houses, barns, stock aud grain. France
Keller was burned to death betw ,en his
burning house and barn. The Madison
fire department was called ont TO protect
the town from fire coming from the west
before q wind blowing forty miles an hour.
A special from Highmors says: An i'm
mense prairie fire, raging about q mile
south of town. driven by O rong wind
from the south, called out the citizens, $50
strong, yesterday. A fire break two miles
from danger. At 2 o'clock the tempers.
ture was SO in the shade. Signal Observ-
er Lyons, at st. Paul, says unless the
Northwest has rain within few hours the
conditions will be highly favorable for cy-
clones. The weather here tonight is
warm and sultry.